Labeling machine



Oct. 11, 1949. G. w. VON HoFE 2,484,435

LABELING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1945 2 Shee ts-Sheet l INVENTOR GEORGE W VON Hoff BY fivmm l c ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1949. e. w. VON HOFE. 2,484,435

LABELING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1.945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE \Mvolv HOF 2 A'DI'TO'RNEY E Patented Oct. 11, 1949 LABELING MACHINE George W. von Hofe, Bound Brook, N. J assignor to New Jersey Machine Corporation, Hoboken, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 23, 1945, Serial No. 584,373

Claims. (01. 21656) The invention relates to labeling machines de signed for adhesively applying labels or their equivalents to sheets of material as exemplified for instance by cards such as greeting cards, fabrics, or pieces thereof, such as swatches and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide such labeling machines with a novel supporting means located at the applying station of the machine for supporting a supply of sheets of material in label-receiving position, and capable of being operated to present successive sheets in labelreceiving relation to the label-applying means of the machine.

The invention contemplates further the provision of a novel support for a stack of sheets of material at the applying station of the machine, and manually-operated means for intermittently raising said support to thereby maintain efiicient operative relation between the label-applying means of the machine and successive terminal sheets of material at the upper end of said stack.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of the invention without defining its limits,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of thenovel supporting means, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

The novel supporting means is particularly adapted for operative association with labeling machines of the type illustrated in my United States patent, No. 2,227,816, of January '7, 1941.

Such machines comprise a suitable frame 5 On which the labeling instrumentalities are mounted, for instance, as disclosed in the previouslymentioned patent. Such instrumentalities include a suction head or equivalent label transfer device 6 whereby the labels or the like are transferred in succession, for instance, from a supply stack of such labels or the like to an applying station at which the novel supporting means is located. In the course of the aforesaid transfer, the successive labels or the like may be passed in adhesive-receiving relation with an adhesive-applying roller 1 and receive a coating of adhesive therefrom.

The labeling machine otherwise may include all of the mechanism disclosed in my previouslymentioned patent or said machine may be of special construction including features specific to itself without in any way affecting the operative efficiency of the novel supporting means.

Broadly speaking, suchsupporting means comprises a supporting member 8 on which the elements to be labeled, such as a supply of sheets of material are located in label-receiving position. Furthermore, the novelsupporting means comprises means whereby successive sheets of material are presented in label-receiving relation to the label-applying means of the machine. In the specific example illustrating the invention, the sheets of material are arranged on the supporting member 8 in the form of an upright stack, and operating means is provided for periodically raising said supporting member to thereby maintain efficient operative relation between the label-applying means of the machine and successive terminal sheets of material at the upper end of said stack. The aforesaid operating means may be automatically controlled and actuated, at predetermined intervals in any con: venient manner as by hydraulic, electric, or other mechanism, or as shown in the illustrated example, said operating means may be manually actuated.

The supporting member 8 is fixed upon the upper end of a rack 9 which is slidably mounted forvertical movement and guided in a guide bracket 9 a carried by a horizontal table II) supported by means of suitable brackets I I bolted or otherwise secured upon the frame 5 of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2. In the illustrated example, foot-operated means is provided for man ually elevating the supporting member 8 intermittently at required intervals to maintain successive terminal sheets of material or their equivalent, at the upper end of said stack, in proper label-receiving position relatively to the labelapplying means of the machine. In its illustrated form, the foot-operated means comprises an operating lever I2 fulcrumed at I3-a upon a bracket I 3 which may form part of or be secured to the previously-mentioned bracket I I. A spring I 4 has its one end connected with a fixed stud I5 and its other end attached at I6 to the lever I2 near one end thereof, for returning said lever I2 and its associated parts to normal position. The lever I2 carries an operating pawl I! which is pivotally mounted thereon at I8 and has its operating end maintained in meshing engagement with the rack 9 by means of a spring I9 bearing against said pawl I1 and against a projection I9a fixed upon the lever I2. A coopcrating stop-pawl 20 is pivotally mounted at 2I upon the bracket I3, and likewise has its operating end in meshing engagement with the rack 9 for fixing the latter against unintentional return movement. A spring 22 located between a fixed abutment 23 and the stop-pawl 20, yieldingly maintains the latter in its operative association with the rack 9.

For the purpose of rocking the lever l2 and thereby actuating the operating pawl l1 in a manner to intermittently move the rack 9 and with it the supportingmember 8, in an upward direction, the lever I2 is connected by means of a link 24, with a pedal-lever 25 pivoted at 26 upon a lug 21 fixed upon the frame of the machine. The pedal-lever preferably carries a treadle.28 at its free end to facilitate the pivotal operation of said lever 25.

For the purpose of maintaining the sheets of material in the intended stack formation on the supporting member 8, upright guideimembers 29 are adjustably mounted on the table I9 and project upwardly in perpendicular relation to the latter and in parallelismwith each other as shown in -Figs. land 2. To enablettheguidingmembers 29 to be adjusted "to different positions on the table H3, :the latter is provided with slots 30 through which the .guide members 29 project, said guide members .29 preferably being slidably mounted in bearings 5-34 'comprising-alining parts of brackets 32 ad justably .mounted in surface engagement with the :lower face of the table .10 as shown in Figs. 1:and:2. Each bracket 32 is provided with a slotz33 'SfOI' -l71'le accommodation of a screw 34 extending upwardly through the respective slots'd'll of'the table l D-and each provided with a Wing-nut 35, whereby the associated bracket 32 is fixed-in an adjusted position. Preferably, the guide members "29 are yieldingly slidable in the bearings '3! under the in'fiuence of coil springs '36fibearing with'one endagainstpins 3-! fixed on the associated guide members '29, and with the otherend engaging the lower bearings '31 of the cooperating brackets 32.

In the preferred arrangement, means provided for locking the-rack 9 and'supportingmember 8 against movement in either direction should this be desired or necessary. This means in its illustrated form comprises a "pinion 38 -carried by a shaft-39 and meshing with the rack9. The shaft 39 is 'journalled'in-abearing tll-fixed on the bracket 13 and has its'outer end screw=threaded for the accommodation-of an -internally-threaded locking sleeve l-l "preferably including 'a hand wheel 4-2 to facilitate the manipulation thereof.

In practice, a pluralityof sheets of material r other elements "A towvhich the labels B or their equivalent are to be'applied, are-arranged in the form of anupright-s'tack-onthe supporting member '8, between the guide members 29, with the terminal sheet of material A at the upper end of said stack at the proper label-receiving level. Successive labels *B-or their equivalent, are removed from a conventional supply-stack thereof "located atthe customary pick-up station'as shown in my previously-mentioned patent, "by means of the label transfer device 6 which, as shown in my previously-mentioned patent, may be in the natureof a-suction head, and transferred in adhesive-receiving relation with the adhesive-applying roller 1, to receive a coating of'adh'esive therefrom The transferofeach label B'is continued to bring t'he label transfer-device S and the adhesive-coa ted labe'lB carried thereby, into applying relationto' the terminal sheet of material A at the top-of thestack onthe supporting-member 8. The label transfer 'device or suction head -6 is then manipulateolto deposit such label "Bupon the terminal sheet of *materialAafter which said label transfer device or suction head 6 is operated in a return direction into operative relation with the supply stack of such labels or their equivalent, at a level above that of the adhesive-applying roll I. The initial deposit of a given label or its equivalent upon the terminal sheet of material A at the upper end of the stack on the supporting member 8, may subsequently be followed by the action of a pressure member whereby the application of said given label B to said sheet of material :A is completed and the latter is removed in any convenient manner.

All of the operations so far described correspond to those set forth in my patent hereinbefore referred to.

Theaforesaid operations are repeated with successive labels or their equivalent and successive terminal sheets of material. As previously indicated, the latter are removed from the stack on the supporting member.8, as soon as each applying operation has been completed. .As'a result, the stack of sheetso'f materialonthe supporting member 18, is gradually reduced in height so that the level .of successive sheets of material-is progressively lowered.

At such intervals, as may be necessary, foot pressure is exertedon the treadle 38, to pivotally rock the pedal'lever 25-on its pivot 25 in a, downward direction andto exert 'a downwardpull upon the link 24. This downward pull of the latter is transmitted to the lever Ii -and rocks'thesameon its pivot :3, in a direotion'to cause the operating pawl l? toexert 'an upward push-on the -raek"9 whereby the supporting member 8 and the-stack a of sheets of material A thereon, areelevated to an extent necessary to again bring the terminal sheet of material Aat the upper end of the stack of such sheets,'to the proper label-receiving position. As foot pressure is removed, from the treadle 23, the spring 14 will rock the lever 1'2 and its associated'elements in a return direction. This'causes the operating pawl H t correspondingly slide relativelyto the rack Qinasimilar-return direction, to thereby bring said operating pawl H to a new position on the rackdreadyfor thenext operation. In the meantime, the stoppawl 2s serves to maintain the rack 9 and supporting member 3 with its stack of sheets 'of material Ainthe raised position -to whichit has just been elevated, .and .to resist the applying pressure of the'applying'means. These operating cycles are repeated throughout an operative period as will be apparent. j

Because of the resilient support of the guide members 29, the latter are enabled to'yield xiown wardly during thelabel-applying operation.

The novel supporting means including its -opcrating mechanism is-simple in construction and may be readily incorporated inexisting labeling machines.

The novel means requires 'no particular super,- vision and 'nospecial skill 'inits operation, and is controlled bythe attendantin-anefficientmam ner, and *inthe-specific form shown, without requiring the hands of said attendant to be used in such control, while the periodic adjustment of the terminal sheet of -material at the top of the stack thereof to the proper label-receiving level or position, is being effected.

'I-hearrangement of the "parts and the control thereof is of suchnature'that the applying "level of the stack'ofsheets of material'on the'supporting member "8 may be maintained at 'a constant point,=in a-simple-and efiicient manner.

The novel means "is particularly adapted for use in the application of labels to fabrics, or samples thereof commonly known as swatches, and for applying tip-ons to greeting cards and the like.

It is to be understood that the term label is used herein to include such devices as exemplified by the aforesaid tip-ons and also all equivalents thereof.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such variations and modifications are considered to be within the purview and scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a labeling machine or the like, the combination of an adjustable supporting member for carrying a stack of elements to be labeled, means operative to apply successively labels to the top elements in the stack on said supporting member, a guide, a rack vertically slidable in said guide and carrying said supporting member, a lever disposed transversely of and adjacent to said rack, means supporting said lever for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, means operable to pivot said lever in one direction from a normal at-rest position, an operating pawl on said lever in operative mesh with the teeth of said rack and cooperating with the latter to lift said supporting member during movement of said lever in the said direction and thereby to raise the stack to bring the uppermost element thereof into label receiving position, and means cooperating with said rack to maintain the latter and said supporting member in adjusted position during the application of a label by said appyling means to the uppermost element in the stack.

2. In a labeling machine or the like, the combination of an adjustable supporting member for carrying a stack of elements to be labeled, means operative to successively apply labels to the top elements in the stack on said supporting member, a guide, a member vertically slidable in said guide and carrying said supporting member, means connected to said slidable member and operable intermittently to raise the latter and said supporting member and thereby to raise the stack to bring the uppermost element thereof into label receiving position, and means cooperating with said slidable member to maintain the latter and said supporting means in adjusted position during the application of a label by said applying means to the uppermost element in the stack.

3. In a labeling machine or the like, the combination of an adjustable supporting means for carrying a stack of elements to be labeled, vertically disposed guide means for the elements in said stack, said guide means being mounted for slidable movement in a vertical direction and adapted to yieldingly resist movement from a raised at-rest position, means operative to suecessively apply labels to the top elements in the stack on said supporting means, said operative means being adapted to engage and depress said guide means during the label applying step. means connected to said supporting means and operable to raise the latter and thereby raise the stack to bring the uppermost element thereof into label receiving position, and means cooperating With said supporting means to maintain the latter in adjusted position during the application of a label by said applying means to the uppermost element in the stack.

4. In a labeling machine or the like, the combination of an adjustable supporting means for carrying a stack of elements to be labeled, vertically disposed guide means for the elements in said stack, means supporting said guide means for slidable movement in a vertical direction, means for normally maintaining said guide means in raised position and adapted to yieldingly resist movement thereof to a lowered position, means operative to successively apply labels to the top elements in the stack on said supporting means, said operative means being adapted to engage and depress said guide means during the label applying step, means connected to said supporting means and operable to raise the latter and thereby raise the stack to bring the uppermost element thereof into label receiving position, and means cooperating with said supporting means to maintain the latter in adjusted position during the application of a label by said applying means to the uppermost element in the stack.

5. In a labeling machine or the like, the combination of a fixed support, supporting means for carrying a stack of elements to be labeled slidably mounted on said fixed support for movement in a vertical direction, guide means for the element in said stack slidably mounted on said fixed support :for movement in a vertical direction, resilient means for normally maintaining said guide means in raised position and adapted to yieldingly resist movement thereof to :a lowered position, means operative to successively apply labels to the top elements in the stack on said supporting means and adapted to engage and depress said guide means during the label applying step, whereby said guide means is moved relative to said supporting means, means connected to said supporting means for moving the latter relative to said guide means so as to raise the stack and thereby bring .the uppermost element thereof into label receiving position, and means cooperating with said supporting means to maintain the latter in adjusted position during the application of a label by said applying means to the uppermost element in the stack.

GEORGE W. VON HOFE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 356,893 Richards Feb. 1, 1887 722,035 McKaig Mar. 3, 1903 1,108,876 Alemany Sept. 1, 1914 1,440,856 Westcott Jan. 2, 1923 2,262,798 Elliott Nov. 18, 1941 

